Fabric assembly



April 2, 1963 Filed 001;. 10, 1960 H. M. QUAKENBUSH FABRIC ASSEMBLY v 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. #0 W080 M. Owmavaasfl fornev p l 1963 H. M. QUAKENBUSH 3,083,495

FABRIC ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 10, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZSb . INVENTOR. Ho w/ma M. 00/746'4508 {zgayay forney United States The present invention relates to a fabric assembly for upholstered furniture, and more particularly to a new and novel preassembly of a cover fabric with cushioning which permits ready installation during subsequent upholstering operations, as well as provides a highly decorative efi'ect to the finished furniture.

Over the years, the furniture industry has employed various arrangements for achieving a utilitarian as well as a decorative effect for the cover fabric on upholstered units, including, for example, tufting, stufiing, and like assembly methods. Recently, it has become desirable to achieve a deeply sculptured effect for the cover fabric used on the back, arms, or other areas, of upholstered furniture, where such sculptured effect appears in various ornamental designs.

By virtue of the instant invention, the applicant has provided a new and novel assembly technique for achieving the aforesaid sculptured effect for the cover fabric, being, more specifically, a technique which can be eifectively carried out through a preassembly operation for subsequent installation during the manufacturing of the upholstered units. Briefly, the applicants fabric assembly utilizes resilient cushioning, commonly polyurethane, for example, which has been preassembled to scrim or like material. By slitting the cushioning, and thereafter afiixing the cover fabric to the aforesaid scrim, in a manner to be discussed in detail herebelow, a deeply sculptured pattern is achieved which is compatible with the desired design standards.

The principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide a new and novel fabric assembly for upholstered furniture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel fabric assembly for upholstered furniture which is readily preassembled for installation during subsequent manufacturing operations.

A still further and more general object of the present invention is to provide a new and novel fabric assembly for upholstered furniture which is highly utilitarian as well as decorative in effect.

Other objects and a better understanding of the invention will become more apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein FIG. 1 is a View in front elevation, partly fragmentary, showing a fabric assembly in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in vertical section taken at line 2-2 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, somewhat exaggerated for purposes of clarity, showing details of a seam in accordance with the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a view in end elevation of a typical vacuum table used in the practice of the applicants new and novel invention; and

FIG. 4 is a view in front elevation of the vacuum table of FIG. 3.

For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the drawing and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device,

2 and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

Referring now to the figures, the applicants new and novel fabric assembly It} typically comprises the use of resilient cushioning 12, such as polyurethane, for example, disposed on a backing of loosely woven base material .14, such as scrim, for example. In the preferred form of the invention, the cushioning 12 is preassembled with the base material 14, as, by gluing, for example. The assembly further includes a cover fabric 16, typically ornamental in appearance, disposed on the cushioning l2 and tucked into slits disposed in the latter, at 16a, as to be discussed in detail herebelow. It should be obvious from FIG. 1, that the segments of the cover fabric 16 tucked into the slits in the cushioning 12 may assume various ornamental configurations.

In order to achieve the desired deep sculptured effect forming a feature of the instant invention, the combined cushioning 12 and base material 14 is positioned on a work table whereupon, through a cutting operation, the cushioning 12 is slitted typically to a depth adjacent the base material 14. The slitting is effected through paths dictated by the ultimate desired design of the cover fabric on the upholstered unit.

After the slitting operation is completed, the partially completed assembly is typically placed on a vacuum table 25, and the bottom portion of the slits, i.e. that portion adjacent the base material 14, is filled with a quickdrying cement 18, such as that having a latex base, for example. The cover fabric 16 is then placed on the cushioning 12 and a tucking operation is commenced, the latter resulting in the ultimately desired sculptured effect.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the vacuum table 25 typi cally comprises a supporting framework defined by legs 25a and a generally rectangular frame member 25b, where a curved fabric receiving surface 27 is positioned by the latter. A vacuum producing means 28, such as a fan, for example, is disposed on a shelf 29 which typically extends from two of the legs 25a of the framework 25, while the over-all vacuum path is completed by a hood or shroud Bil communicating with the vacuum producing means 28 and openings 27a in the fabric receiving surface 27.

In any event, after the cover fabric 16 is smoothed onto the top surface and within the slitted portions in the cushioning 12, i.e. in such a manner as to make a substantially wrinkle-free appearance, the assembly is ready for the next operational step, i.e. the use of the vacuum, which draws the cover fabric 16 downwardly, to prevent any wrinkling of the latter while the quick-drying cement 18 and the fabric cover 16- are combining to form an effective seam. The overall assembly is then typically completed by sewing, with loose stitches, as at 20, the cover 16 onto the base material 14 through the quicksetting cement 18.

From the preceding, it should be apparent that the applicant has provided a new and novel method for preassembling a fabric cover used in upholstered furniture. The assembly is readily achieved with generally common components and provides the desired deep sculptured efiect which is popular in todays market. Obviously, the fabric assembly as susceptible to various changes within the spirit of the invention as, for example, the loose stitching may be omitted, if desired, and, as indicated hereabove, the design may be varied. Thus, the above description should be considered illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of preassembling a fabric cover onto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired patterns, introducing an adhesive into said slitted portions in said cushioning, and overlaying said cushioning with said fabric cover and tucking the iatter into said slitted portions and into contact with said adhesive.

2. A method of preassernbling a fabric cover onto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired, patterns, introducing an adhesive into said slitted portions in said cushioning, overlaying said cushioning with said fabric cover and tucking the latter into said slitted portions and into contact with said adhesive, and stitching together said fabric cover and said base fabric through said adhesive.

'3. A method of preassembl-ing a fabric cover onto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired patterns, overlaying said cushioning with said fabric cover and tucking the latter into said slitted portions, and stitching together said fabric cover and said base fabric.

4. A method of preassembling a fabric coveronto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired patterns to a depth immediate said base fabric, introducing an adhesive in said slitted portions in said cushioning, overlaying said cushioning with said fabric cover and tucking the latter into said slitted portions and into contact with said adhesive, and smoothing said fabric cover on said cushioning and in said slitted portions with vacuum means.

5. In an article of manufacture made from a single piece .of cushioning having a slit disposed therein and a base fabric disposed on one side of said cushioning, a seam defined by the fabric cover laid over said cushioning and disposed within said slit, and an adhesive disposed said slit between said fabric cover and said base fabric.

6. In an article of manufacture made from a single piece of cushioning having a slit disposed therein and a base fabric disposed on one side of said cushioning, a seam defined by a fabric cover laid over said cushioning and disposed within said slit, an adhesive disposed within said slit between said fabric cover and said base fabric, and a line of stitching joining said fabric cover and said base fabric.

7. In an article of manufacture made from a single piece of cushioning having a slit disposed therein and a base fabric disposed on one side of said cushioning, a seam defined by a fabric cover laid over said cushioning and disposed within said slit, and a line of stitching joining said fabric cover and said base fabric.

8. A method of preassembling a fabric cover onto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired patterns, introducing an adhesive into said slitted portions in said cushioning, overlaying saidcushioning with said fabric cover to define an assembly, and applying a vacuum to said assembly to tuck said'fabric cover into said slitted portions and into contact with said adhesive.

9; A method of preassembling a fabric cover onto a single piece of cushioning which comprises the steps of assembling said cushioning on a base fabric, slitting said cushioning in desired patterns, introducing an adhesive into said slitted portions in said cushioning, overlaying said cushioning with said fabric cover to define an assembly, applying a vacuum to said assembly to tuck said fabric cover into said slitted portions and into contact with said adhesive, and stitching together said fabric cover and said base fabric through said adhesive.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,522,612 Harben Sept. 19, 1950 2,738,834 Jaffe et al. Mar. 20, 1956 2,861,405 Hanford Nov. 25, 1958 2,921,403 Cunnington Jan. 19, 1960 2,989,112 Sonnleitner June 20, 1961 FOREIGN PATENTS 401,558 Great Britain Nov. 16, 1933 

1. A METHOD OF PREASSEMBLING A FABRIC COVER ONTO A SINGLE PIECE OF CUSHIONING WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF ASSEMBLING SAID CUSHIONING ON A BASE FABRIC, SLITTING SAID CUSHIONING IN DESIRED PATTERNS, INTRODUCING AN ADHESIVE INTO SAID SLITTED PORTIONS IN SAID CUSHIONING, AND OVERLAYING SAID CUSHIONING WITH SAID FABRIC COVER AND TUCKING THE LATTER INTO SAID SLITTED PORTIONS AND INTO CONTACT WITH SAID ADHESIVE. 